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On Intravascular Clotting. 



[Feb. 4, 



February 4, 1886. 

 Professor STOKES, D.C.L., President, in the Chair. 



The Presents received were laid on the table, and thanks ordered 

 for them. 



The following Papers were read : — 



I. " On Intravascular Clotting." By L. C. Woolpridge, M.B., 

 D.Sc, Demonstrator of Physiology in Guy's Hospital (from 

 the Brown Institution). Communicated by Professor 

 Burdon Sanderson, F.R.S. Received January 21, 1886. 



Notwithstanding all the work that has been done on the snbject of 

 the coagnlation of the blood, the definite results which have been 

 obtained as to intravascular clotting are extremely scanty. 



I think most physiologists will agree with me in the statement, that 

 no method is known by which one can, at will, produce a complete 

 fibrinous coagulation in the vessels of a living animal. I have found 

 such a method, and o*ne which appears to be infallible in its action. 



I have succeeded in obtaining from the testis and thymus gland of 

 the calf, a substance presenting the characters of a proteid, the injec- 

 tion of which in sufficient quantity into the veins of an animal, will 

 cause instant death, owing to widespread intravascular clotting. 



In its preparation I proceed in the following manner : — The organ 

 having been finely minced, is mixed with a large quantity of distilled 

 water and allowed to stand for some hours. The liquid is then 

 strained off and subjected to the action of a centrifugal machine so 

 long as any deposit is separated from it. The clear liquid is then 

 made strongly acid with acetic acid, whereupon a bulky precipitate 

 appears, which is collected by the centrifugal machine, and well 

 washed with water acidified with acetic acid. 



If this precipitate is dissolved in alkaline salt solution and injected 

 into the circulation, it produces intravascular clotting. If the quantity 

 injected is considerable (1 to 2 grams), it causes instant death in a 

 clog of moderate size with complete thrombosis of the vena porta and 

 its branches. Clots are also found in the right side of the heart and 

 in the pulmonary artery. In a rabbit I found that the injection of 

 1 gram caused death before the injection was completed. Here there 

 was thrombosis of the portal vein, iliac and renal veins, and of the 

 vena cava and aorta, and clots in both sides of the heart. 



When death occurs, the blood which flows from a cut artery fails 



